This invention relates to a reciprocal action apparatus for adhesively binding together pages to form a book and apparatus for mounting a cover on the book thus formed.
In various places where reports are rendered or books are prepared, such as schools, offices, churches, factories, homes, etc., it is either desirable or necessary to permanently affix the individual pages thereof in a bound relationship. The application of an adhesive material to the edge of the pages represents a very economic and efficient mode for binding the pages together. Several types of machines are available for adhesively binding pages together. Most of these machines however, are large, bulky, expensive and frequently are permanent fixtures on a premises. Moreover, they are not readily transportable, therefore, work must be brought to the machine instead of the machine being used at the situs of the work. This can sometimes prove to be costly and inconvenient.
Of the few adhesive binding machines which are transportable, a major limitation is the size and number of pages which can be efficiently bound at one time. Much time, effort and money has been spent finding ways to obtain a more efficient binding between pages upon application of the adhesive material. Since the strength of the bond formed in a function of several variables, including mode of application of the adhesive material, adhesive material temperature, homogeneity of the adhesive material, the adhesive material employed, drying conditions, properties of the pages being bound, etc., optimization of these variables to obtain the most efficient bond requires either elaborate, expensive equipment or slow, expensive manual labor.
Anther problem has been finding means to accurately apply a cover to the pages of a book. Many machines currently used rely solely upon the judgement of the operator to obtain an accurate registration of cover to book. Those machines which have registration devices are expensive and can require considerable maintenance and repair. An additional trimming step is frequently employed in conjunction with those machines which do not have a cover registration means to make the cover and pages the same size.
A relatively complex and difficult to operate machine is required to surmount all of the above obstacles. Yet, for a machine to be conveniently compatible in a home, school, church, office or similar setting, it should possess a few moving parts in order to reduce a high frequency of repair and maintenance as well as to facilitate its operations. Base of operation not only includes the internal workings of the machine but also includes a quick, easy and reliable way to position the pages for binding and to position a book for covering. It further includes ease of access to the inside of the machine, e.g., for repair or adjustment purposes and for adding additional adhesive material.
In copending application Ser. No. 334,865, filed Feb. 22, 1973 of Rosette et al., a reciprocal action apparatus for adhesively binding together pages to form a book is described which overcome the above problems. The apparatus comprises a stationary support member and a movable carriage member. The stationary support member includes carriage drive means, a clutch assembly for engaging and disengaging the carriage drive means, a cover mounting assembly, an adhesive applicator and reservoir assembly and an elongated carriage bar member. The movable carriage member which includes a clamping assembly for holding together the pages being bound travels in a reciprocating manner along the elongated carriage bar member. In operation, the movable carriage member transports the pages being bound to a first station where they are tangentially contacted by a rotating adhesive applicator.
It has been found that after the rotating applicator presents adhesive materials to the pages, a thin coating of adhesive remains on the applicator. After a period of time, a small build of adhesive can build up on the applicator thereby requiring removal of the applicator in order to clean it and in any event, the thin coating of adhesive can prevent further uniform presentation of fresh, hot adhesive to further pages which are subsequently bound.
In accordance with this invention, means are provided for removing adhesive material from the surface of the rotating applicator after the surface of the applicator has been coated with adhesive and said adhesive has been presented for application to the pages being bound.